FORTH AND ENDRICK PLOUGHING MATCHES etc While researching the background history of the Buchlyvie Ploughing Matches I came across information that may be worth sharing in the hope of awakening inherent memories otherwise lost in the mists of time. There are gaps and puzzling aspects too and I would welcome any additional information available. 1. Background Early last century and before the Great War the rural population was fairly densely scattered. Local Estates were major employers of country folk as factors, foresters, gamekeepers, gardeners, fencers, dykers, ditchers, drainers, and domestic staff around the Big Houses. The smallish tenant farming units were labour intensive, horse-worked, livestock rearing and dairying enterprises employing resident staff and seasonal casual labour. Additionally occasional tradesmen, rabbit catchers, mole catchers and travelling people were in evidence. The outlying hills were sheep walks and natural deer forest before the conifer re-afforestation was established. The peat bog wilderness areas of Flanders Moss were preserved grouse moors supporting deer, red grouse, black grouse, and white hares; and remained generally treeless then. Some birch and alder fringed the drier old reclamation areas near the perimeter moss fences. Gartmore Estate’s extensive sale of lands and farms in the early 1950s prompted the forestry drainage and conifer afforestation of Garchell Moss and other local moorlands while forestry developments proceeded in the East Flanders Moss areas towards Thornhill as well. Gartmore Estate farms had extended to Garchell and Woodend on the Buchlyvie side, Garchell being in Drymen Parish. 2. Buchlyvie and Gartmore Agricultural Association 1835 onwards to 1938 The Buchlyvie Ploughing Match for 40 years until the inauguration of the Buchlyvie District Ploughing Society in 1891. After the ploughing match in April 1846 a successful ‘Cattle Show’ was held in Buchlyvie in August of that year involving various classes of cattle. The show became an annual event and quickly prospered including classes for horses, cattle sheep, dogs and poultry. Plots were judged for potatoes and turnips. Classes were included for dairy products, baking and an industrial section latterly. By 1908 the eligible district boundaries had obviously been extended and entries included 133 horses, 87 cattle, 41 sheep, 38 dogs and 15 entries for butter and baking. The last Buchlyvie and Gartmore Agricultural Association Annual Show was staged in 1938 just before the last war. The venue was Cashley Farm and by that time the 1 eligible district embraced the whole of the Forth Valley west of Stirling and as far as Killearn and Drymen as well. The President was Col E.R. Crawford, Auchentoig. Numerous Vice-Presidents representing local estates and sponsors included Cardross, Gartmore, Garden, Ballamenoch Cashley and various others. Sadly the Agricultural Show did not appear to survive the war years and probably neither did the Association but I do not know. 3. Buchlyvie District Ploughing Society 1891 Onwards. Buchlyvie District Ploughing Society was inaugurated in 1891 and apart from the war years and bad weather cancellations has staged the annual competition ever since. By 1901 there were 3 classes – Confined Seniors and Juniors and Open Seniors eligible from the counties of Stirling, Perth, and Dumbarton. By 1925 the ‘Open’ had become open to Scotland and the match was attracting about 30 entrants annually. Highly competitive horsework continued through the thirties dwindling slightly towards the war years then resurging afterwards but by 1957 the horse ploughing entrants were down to 13 and 8 tractor outfits competed for the first time. By 1964 there were 16 tractors but no horses. Tractor entrants increased in the four classes. Some horse yokes were re-introduced from 1976 and continue to improve the spectacle of the match in the modern era of the mechanised marvels of the various tractor ploughing classes. Very briefly, the Buchlyvie and Gartmore Agricultural Association was formed in 1835 and for the first 10 years the main recorded activity was the running of an annual ‘Ploughing Match’ confined to contestants from within 2 miles of Buchlyvie village and normally involving from 5 to 7 entrants, the event taking place in the springtime. Inclement conditions forced cancellation in 1848 and 1849. A match took place in 1850 but there were only three competitors and that was the end of. Sadly the 2015 match was cancelled owing to unfavourable conditions in the spring. 4. Strathendrick Ploughing Society As yet I have little information on the Strathendrick Ploughing Society other than the facts depicted on the trophy engravings. Certainly it was active in the 1920s and 30s but is unlikely to have survived the war years. From my childhood I vividly remember the solid silver Bryce Allan Quaich which Sandy Ferguson had won in 1929, 1930 and 1932 having been pipped by Allen Dykes in 1931. Brother Donnie Ferguson won the Juniors aged 16 in 1930. 2 5. Gartmore and Dalmary Ploughing Society (1922 – 1978) My original Gartmore News notes on Gartmore and Dalmary Ploughing Society (2004) were supplemented with some old photographs added in 2014. Further details of some of the trophies and medals are included here. 6. Local Ploughing Societies and Overlapping Boundary Conditions I understand that there once was a Ploughing Society in Gargunnock and another in Port of Menteith. Gartmore and Dalmary had modelled their match rules on those of Port of Menteith which was understandable bearing in mind the wide ranging extent of the Parish of Port embracing the whole of the northern fringe areas around Flanders Moss. Generally, Ploughing Society Districts were related to Parish Boundaries originally but tended to be adjusted and extended over time as communications improved. Surprisingly, the Garchell is in Drymen Parish! So, the Garchell boys could compete in the Buchlyvie, Strathendrick, and Gartmore and Dalmary districts as could the Drumtian McAdams. So, competition could become a bit fierce on occasions. In the Gartmore matches Jimmy Macadam vied with Sandy Ferguson over the coveted Guy Fanshawe Championship Cup between 1929 and 1934, the final score being 3 – 2 to Sandy and the Cup to keep. Brother Donnie won the succeeding T Dykes Championship Cup in 1938 and 1939. But beyond his successes at Strathendrick and Gartmore, Sandy’s greatest achievement was winning the Buchlyvie ‘Open’ as well as the Confined in 1931 at the age of 22. Over 20 years later Bannockburn, Plean and Polmaise Ploughing Society was still very active in the mid-fifties. Sandy was resident at Newmills Farm below Bannockburn and in a solitary come-back to the highcutting field, won the W Henderson Cup before finally hanging up the reins and discarding the highcutter for good in 1954. 7. Trophies and Medals A selection of Ploughing Match trophies and medals are shown in the appendices: 1. Sandy’s Buchlyvie Open Seniors and Confined Seniors Gold Medals and Highland Society Medal of 1931 when aged 22. 2. Donnie’s Buchlyvie Junior Class Silver Cup of 1933 and details of Norman’s Solid Silver Junior Class Hugh Wilkie Cup, initially presented in 1934. 3. The Gartmore and Dalmary Guy Fanshawe and T Dykes Seniors Championship Cups with associated Gold and Silver and Enamel Medals. 3 4. A selection of Gartmore and Dalmary’s heavy and ornate Junior Class Silver Medals. 5. Sandy’s Strathendrick Seniors Championship Gold Medal and James Bryce Allan Solid Silver Quaich together with Donnie’s Junior Silver Medal of 1930. 6. Sandy’s High Cut Confined Championship Cup won at Bannockburn, Plean and Polmaise in 1954. 7. Sandy’s Success at Buchlyvie in 1931. Donny Ferguson Dollar 2016 4 Appendix 1: Buchlyvie District Ploughing Society 1931 Sandy Ferguson’s Double Gold Medal Success at 22 1931 Open Seniors Class Gold Medal 1931 Confined Seniors Class Gold Medal 1931 Highland and Agricultural Society Medal Appendix 2: Buchlyvie District Ploughing Society Junior Class Trophies 1933-1938 Donald Ferguson’s Buchlyvie Junior Class Silver Cup 1933 1934 The subsequent large Solid Silver Challenge Cup presented by Hugh Wilkie in 1934 was awarded to Norman Ferguson before the war after winning it in 1936 and 1937 follwed by younger brother Duncan in 1938. The name of the 1939 Juniors winner (Robb) was not engraved on the Cup. The history is intriguing, the engraving being as follows: WON by JAMES WEIR {D J Muirhead 1937 Norman Ferguson 1935 {Edward Cullie 1938 Duncan Ferguson 1936 Norman Ferguson Appendix 3: Gartmore & Dalmary Seniors Championship Trophies 1925—1939 Commander Guy Fanshaw R.N.M.P. Challenge Cup and Associated Medals won outright by Alexander Ferguson 1930-1934 1931 1932 1934 1932 T Dykes Challenge Cup presented 1936 and Associated Medals won outright by Donald Ferguson in 1939 1938 1939 1938 Appendix 4: A Selection of Gartmore & Dalmary Junior Class Medals 1926 1928 1933 Appendix 5: Strathendrick Ploughing Ssociety Horse Work Ploughing Trophies Sandy Ferguson ‘s Seniors Championship Gold Medal 1929 James Bryce Allan Silver Quaich Strathendrick Ploughing Assoc. Challenge Cup Presented 1930 Won by: 1930 Alexander Ferguson 1931 Allen Dykes 1932 Alexander Ferguson Donnie Ferguson’s Junior Class Silver Medal 1930 Appendix 6: Bannockburn, Plean and Polmaise Ploughing Society W Henderson Trophy for Best High Cut Ploughing Won by A Ferguson 195 4 Appendix 7: Sandy’s Success Buchlyvie 1931 High Cutter Swing Plough .